With over 62 million people from more than 20 countries and territories, Hispanics represent the largest minority group in the U.S. and are projected to reach 111 million by 2060, comprising nearly 30% of the country’s population.

 

As marketers continue to dive into the Hispanic market, it’s essential they take into account the importance of language and culture to effectively engage with them. Brands that understand this have a golden opportunity to connect with Hispanic and Latino consumers, forging long-standing relationships with this growing and increasingly influential audience.

 

 

Despite this demographic shift, many brands still fall short when it comes to effectively engaging Hispanic audiences. One of the main reasons is the lack of culturally competent content.

 

In fact, a 2021 study by H Code found that

70% of Hispanics feel that most advertising doesn’t understand their culture or background -an increase from 59% the year before.

 

But what does it mean to have culturally fluent content? It means taking into account the unique cultural and linguistic nuances and values of the diverse communities that make up this group. It means understanding that by correctly representing what matters to them, you respect them. It means having a deep understanding of the language, traditions, and beliefs that are important to each community. It means successfully navigating the different meanings of words and recognizing the cultural celebrations unique to each community.

 

Brands that fail to see the urgency in being culturally fluent risk becoming irrelevant and damaging their reputation. But cultural competence also goes beyond appealing to a specific audience – it also has a significant impact on a brand’s bottom line. 

 

According to a report by the University of Georgia,

Hispanic consumers in the U.S. have a buying power of over $1.9 trillion, making them one of the most influential consumer groups in the country.

 

Additionally, a survey by the Hispanic Marketing Council found that 55% of Hispanics would be more likely to do business with a company that demonstrates a commitment to supporting their community.

Building on the importance of culturally competent content, there are specific instances where this approach has been successfully implemented. For example, during the 2022 midterm elections, I had the opportunity to work on a project at Precision for the SEIU in Florida. The project served as an excellent case study in understanding and effectively communicating with Hispanic audiences. The objective was to counter the GOP’s narrative, which aimed to turn Latino voters against Democratic candidates by labeling them as socialists, using fear tactics that exploited the trauma many faced in their home countries (Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, etc.).

We conducted interviews in Spanish with residents and SEIU members, leveraging research from Equis Labs to identify effective messaging for Hispanic voters in Florida. Drawing on our knowledge of Hispanic culture and language, we crafted three core messages and produced video ads and motion graphics in both English and Spanish, linking right-wing agendas to the audience’s experience with anti-democratic governments in Latin America.

 

The results were remarkable, with the messages resonating with Hispanics on both sides of the issue. The engagement levels showed that we were speaking to core political issues among Hispanic voters, and the Spanish language ads performed even better than the English ones, highlighting the value of developing culturally relevant content and segmenting Hispanic audiences by language preference. In recognition of our efforts, we were honored with a Pollie Award in 2022, underscoring the significance of a specialized approach to understanding and engaging with Hispanic audiences.

 

 

Building on this success, Precision is launching a new Spanish Language & Hispanic Culture specialty at the agency, providing brands and clients with access to our team of Spanish Specialists to develop effective, culturally fluent campaigns from the ground up. We are committed to helping brands elevate their campaigns with the Hispanic community in an authentic, respectful, and impactful way.

As the saying goes, “Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente,” meaning those who fail to adapt to changing circumstances will be left behind. Precision is leading the charge towards a more culturally competent approach to marketing, and we hope to see other industry agencies follow suit. Ultimately, brands that prioritize cultural competence will be the ones to succeed in reaching and resonating with this vital and growing group.

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